Historical Markers & Sites
Bath County, Marker Number 940, Location: Owingsville, Courthouse lawn, US 60
Description: Formed from Montgomery County, 1811. Named for its many mineral springs. The birthplace of CSA Gen. John B. Hood and US Senator Richard H. Menifee. Owingsville named for Col. Thomas D. Owings. Organizer US 28th Inf. Reg., 1812. Associate in ownership, operation of Bourbon Iron Works, 1795-1822. Host to Louis Philippe of France during part of his exile in U.S.
Bourbon Iron Works, Marker Number 993, Location: 3 mi. S. of Owingsville, KY 36, 965
Description: Jacob Myers from Richmond, Va. took up land grants here on Slate Creek, 1782. He built the first iron blast furnace in Ky., 1791. John Cockey Owings and Co. formed to operate furnace. Utensils and tools supplied settlers. Began to make cannon balls, grape shot for US Navy 1810. Furnished munitions for US victory, New Orleans 1815. First blast 1791, last 1838.
Reverse side: Iron Made in Kentucky - A major producer since 1791, Ky. ranked 3rd in US in 1830s, 11th in 1965. Charcoal timber, native ore, limestone supplied material for numerous furnaces making pig iron, utensils, munitions in the Hanging Rock, Red River, Between Rivers, Rolling Fork, Green River Regions. Old charcoal furnace era ended by depletion of ore and timber and the growth of railroads.
Caney Furnace, Marker Number 1226, Location: Midland, Old River Rd., US 60
Description: Stood five miles south. This stone stack, built 1837-38 by Harrison Connor and Joshua Ewing, Sr., was among first iron furnaces west of the Alleghenies to be equipped with a hot-blast oven, a device to preheat the air blown through the stack. Charcoal-fueled and steam-powered, it operated until 1849, and made iron again briefly in 1857-58.
Reverse side: Iron Made in Kentucky - A major producer since 1791, Ky. ranked 3rd in US in 1830s, 11th in 1965. Charcoal timber, native ore, limestone supplied material for numerous furnaces making pig iron, utensils, munitions in the Hanging Rock, Red River, Between Rivers, Rolling Fork, Green River Regions. Old charcoal furnace era ended by depletion of ore and timber and the growth of railroads.
Capt. John "Jack" Jouett, Jr., Marker Number 1528, Location: Owingsville, Courthouse lawn, US 60 & KY 36
Description: This famous Revolutionary War hero, who rode 40 miles to warn Jefferson, Patrick Henry and other legislators of British approach, June 3, 1781, is buried in Bath Co. Jack Jouett of Va. galloped all night from Cuckoo Tavern to Monticello to Charlottesville. Moved to Kentucky, 1782. Represented Mercer County in Va. Assembly, and Mercer and Woodford counties in Ky. Assembly.
Clear Creek Furnace, Marker Number 1050, Location: Salt Lick, US 60 at KY 211
Description: Built in 1839, 5 miles south, by W. A. Lane and W. S. Allen. Stone stack originally 40 ft. high and 101/2 ft. across inside, burning charcoal. Air blast powered by steam. Its iron was used mainly for railway car wheels. Operated until about 1857, then idle until rebuilt and renamed Bath Furnace 1872-73. In 1874 produced 1339 tons. Last blast 1875.
Reverse side: Iron Made in Kentucky - A major producer since 1791, Ky. ranked 3rd in US in 1830s, 11th in 1965. Charcoal timber, native ore, limestone supplied material for numerous furnaces making pig iron, utensils, munitions in the Hanging Rock, Red River, Between Rivers, Rolling Fork, Green River Regions. Old charcoal furnace era ended by depletion of ore and timber and the growth of railroads. See over.
Courthouse Burned Marker Number 592 Location: Owingsville, Courthouse lawn, S. Court St., US 60
Description: Twenty-two Kentucky courthouses were burned during Civil War, nineteen in last fifteen months: twelve by Confederates, eight by guerrillas, two by Union accident. See map on the reverse side. March 21, 1864, Union troops fled courthouse here as CSA force came up. Overheated stove started fire, burning building. Guerrillas burned many county records December 4.
Gen. Hood Birthplace, Marker Number 862, Location: East Main St., Owingsville, US 60
Description: John Bell Hood, 1831-79, graduate of West Point, 1853. Eight years Indian campaigns. Resigned, 1861, and joined CSA as colonel, heading Texas Brigade. He gained distinction at Sharpsburg, Fredericksburg, 1862, and at Gettysburg, Chickamauga, 1863. Appointed to command Army of Tenn. Met defeat: Atlanta in August, 1864; Franklin, Nashville in December. Lived in New Orleans after war.
Joe Creason, Marker Number 1542, Location: Longview Cem., Bethel, KY 11
Description: Longview Cemetery, Bethel, is grave site of one of the most noted and best-loved Kentucky journalists. Born 1918 in Benton, he gained renown from his column, "Joe Creason's Kentucky," in the Louisville Courier-Journal. His popular book by same name contained stories from column. With friends in all 120 counties, he was known as state's "goodwill ambassador."
Olympian Springs, Marker Number 1342, Location: Olympian Springs, KY 36
Description: This famous resort, known by 1791 as Mud Lick Springs, was favored for a century by such prominent visitors as Henry Clay. First stagecoach route in Kentucky began in 1803 between here and Lexington. Many Lexingtonians fled here from cholera epidemic of 1833. 28th US Infantry camped here during War of 1812. Civil War cavalry battle was fought here, Oct. 19, 1864.
Owings House, Marker Number 1193, Location: Owingsville, US 60
Description: Built 1811-14 for Colonel Thomas Deye Owings by Benjamin Latrobe, who redesigned the interior of the US Capitol after the British burned it, War of 1812. This house was a center of social life during early 1800's. Henry Clay, while US Sec. of State, attended a grand ball here. Reputedly, in 1814, someone posing as Prince Louis Philippe was a guest here.
Reverse side: Thomas Deye Owings - Came to Bath County in 1800 from Maryland. An early ironmaster, he operated the Bourbon Iron Works, Slate and Maria forges. Iron Works Pike, Owingsville to Lexington, built to haul iron from this area to the Bluegrass, there being no nearby river route. Owings was four times a state representative and a state senator, 1823-27. Town named for him, 1811.
Contacts
Marvin Allen  Bath County Coordinator |
| Suzanne Shephard KY Asst. State Coordinator |
| Jeff Kemp KY State Coordinator |
